Corporal Punishment in U.S. Public Schools: Prevalent, Abusive, and Ineffective

Corporal punishment is abusive, ineffective, and violates international human rights law: it should be immediately abolished in the US. Corporal punishment violates children's right to freedom from cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and contributes to a hostile school environment in which students struggle to learn and succeed. Corporal punishment is abusive for all children, but it has particularly severe effects for students with disabilities. Not only is it ineffective in teaching them appropriate behaviors, it can cause lasting mental and physical injury, and it can make students aggressive and unable to learn. For students with disabilities, corporal punishment can be followed directly by a decline in their medical conditions. These discriminatory, abusive, and ineffective practices should be abolished in US schools. There are better methods of providing effective school discipline, including positive behavioral support systems that enable educators to respond to children's individual needs.

To view the full-text for this article you must be signed-in with the appropropriate membership. Please review your options below:

Sign-in

Email:

Password:

Store a cookie on my computer that will allow me to skip this sign-in in the future.

Purchase Corporal Punishment in U.S. Public Schools: Prevalent, Abusive, and IneffectiveIndividual-Resource passes allow you to purchase access to resources one resource at a time. There are no recurring fees.

$12

Become a Member

Online AccessWith this membership you receive online access to all of TCRecord's content. The introductory rate of $20 is available for a limited time.

$20

Print and Online AccessWith this membership you receive the print journal and free online access to all of TCRecord's content.